Saturday, April 26, 2008
Walter Lloyd SouthamElectrical Engineer
Walter Lloyd Southam, 94, a retired electrical engineer who had worked for the Navy more than 32 years, died March 25 at Virginia Hospital Center of complications from gastric surgery. He lived in Arlington.
Mr. Southam was born in Dover, N.H., and graduated from the University of Idaho in 1943.
While serving aboard a Navy minesweeper in World War II, he redesigned a generator to mask the magnetic field of the minesweepers in the water, causing mines to detonate harmlessly.
After his discharge from the Navy in 1946, Mr. Southam worked at the Naval Ordinance Laboratory for three years before taking a position as an electrical engineer with the old Bureau of Ships.
He was recognized for effectively modifying existing equipment on ships, rather than going to the time and expense of designing new parts. He received special achievement awards in 1966 and 1970 and retired in 1974.
In retirement, he read French literature, maintained his interest in science and worked on electrical projects.
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Jean Southam of Arlington; three children, W. Lloyd Southam Jr. of Hagerstown, Nancy Helsel of Laytonsville and Douglas Southam of Seal Beach, Calif.; and five grandchildren.
-- Matt Schudel
Jack AmsterBusiness Owner
Jack Amster, 90, a co-owner and operator of Cathedral Market on Connecticut Avenue in the District from 1956 until the early 1970s, died of cardiac arrest April 17 at Suburban Hospital. He was a Bethesda resident.
Also in the 1970s, Mr. Amster did managerial work for Royal Formal Wear. In retirement, he studied sculpting at Montgomery College and did volunteer work at the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington in Rockville.
He was a Richmond native and owned a dry-goods store in Burgaw, N.C., until serving in the Army during World War II. Afterward, he and his brother Leo owned Amster's Food Market in Baltimore.
His memberships included Congregation Beth El, a Conservative synagogue in Bethesda, the Masons and Montgomery Mall Walkers, a walking group.
His wife of 64 years, Faye Shapiro Amster, died in 2003.
Survivors include two children, Jayson Amster of University Park and Carole Diamond of Frederick; a brother, Leo Amster of Baltimore; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
-- Adam Bernstein
James W. BroganTraining Director
James W. Brogan, 78, who spent 30 years in the federal government and retired as director of training with the General Services Administration, died of congestive heart failure March 28 at his home in Adelphi.
Mr. Brogan worked with the Civil Service Commission (now the Office of Personnel Management) before joining GSA. He directed training at GSA for seven years before retiring in 1986.
He then spent 15 years in real estate in Maryland before retiring from Long & Foster.
Mr. Brogan was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and was drafted in 1951 into the Army, serving stateside for two years. He received a bachelor's degree in political science from Rutgers University in 1956.
He was active at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church in Hyattsville, where he also served with the Knights of Columbus and as a Eucharistic minister and as a member of the Arimatheans.
He was also a member of the Thursday morning College Park ROMEOs (Retired Old Men Eating Out).
His wife of 43 years, Sheila M. Brogan, died in 2007.
Survivors include four children, Maureen Buck of Adelphi, Bill Brogan of Bowie, Catherine Lyons of Alexandria and John Brogan of Glen Burnie; five sisters; one brother; and three grandchildren.
-- Yvonne Shinhoster Lamb
Joseph R. ChapmanComputer Information Specialist
Joseph R. Chapman, 61, who worked for the CIA for 17 years before becoming a professor at Strayer University in Alexandria, died of colon cancer April 12 at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Mr. Chapman worked in communications with the Central Intelligence Agency and served at various locations around the world. He retired in 1993 and received several certificates of exceptional achievement and the Career Intelligence Medal.
At Strayer, he taught courses in computer information systems and was a department head until 2000. Since that time, he worked with General Dynamics, installing satellites around the world.
Mr. Chapman was born in Kearney, N.J. He was an Army veteran of the Vietnam War. He received bachelor's degrees in data processing and business administration from Strayer. He received a master's degree in business administration from Marymount University in 1987.
He lived in Alexandria before moving to Florida a few years ago. He loved riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, fishing, painting and working on his computer.
His marriage to Linda Chapman ended in divorce.
Survivors include his wife, Helen Chapman of Daytona Beach; three sons from his first marriage, Joseph Chapman Jr. of Annandale, David Chapman of Falls Church and Shawn Chapman of Reston; and a brother.
-- Yvonne Shinhoster Lamb